Los Blancos have fallen 12 points off the pace in LaLiga and were dumped out of the Champions League in a 4-1 humbling by Ajax at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The 46-year-old Frenchman returns after a trophy-laden 28-month spell in charge, which started in January 2016, as he led Madrid to three straight Champions League triumphs and a LaLiga title.

But despite Zidane overseeing Madrid's successful era, it was another ex-head coach who was current president Perez' go-to guy, according to Calderon.

"The first option was Mourinho, and Mourinho was the one who was going to come to Real Madrid because he's the only coach the president respects,” said Calderon, as reported in Spanish media outlet AS.

"Florentino sees the Portuguese coach as a shield.

"He says what nobody dares, he blames the referees, the press, [he says] that which is not normally said."